Kakehashi 架け橋: Te Haerenga into Japanese Language and Culture for Ākonga

Written by the Committee of Kakehashi Day.

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Yukata dressing

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On August 6th, 2024, Year 11 -13 Japanese language students from 5 schools in Auckland (Orewa College, Lynfield College, Takapuna Grammar School, Mt Albert Grammar School, and Albany Senior High School) got together to immerse themselves in Japanese language and culture. Through fun quizzes and activities, students had opportunities to test their knowledge, use their Japanese language, experience some Japanese culture, and make connections with other students who are learning Japanese.

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First, when students arrived, they made a group of 5 from different schools and introduced themselves to each other in Japanese. It was a bit nerve-wracking but they became good friends after 5 mins. Students participated in the activities and quizzes as a group for the whole day.

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While half of the groups were enjoying the quizzes about Japan, the other half was trying Japanese cultural activities, such as Fukuwarai (a kind of Japanese pin the tail of the donkey), Map of Japan puzzle, trying Yukata/Kimono, listening activity, and Kujibiki (lucky dip). Also, there was a modern activity using a QR code.
At the prize giving, students received fantastic prizes and “Omiyage” (souvenirs) to take home thanks to the great sponsors!

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The event was called “Kakehashi”, which means ‘bridge’ in Japanese. This word is commonly used to describe something that connects two worlds, or two countries, or two cultures, etc.

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We hope this event helped students connect with NZ and Japanese cultures and students from other schools. Moreover, students will be encouraged to continue to learn Japanese and become a “Kakehashi” between NZ and Japan in the future.

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A Participant’s Voice: Reflections on Japanese Immersion Programme in Kansai

Written by Kathie Price, Japanese Teacher at Marlborough Girls' College.

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‍Picture 1: Experiencing a fun activity using Japanese!
Picture 2: Visit to Tajiri Junior High School
Picture 3: Ready to head back to New Zealand!

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October 1 2024, 4.30pm, six teachers of Japanese along with Chisato Yoshioka (Japanese National Language Adviser), arrived in Osaka from New Zealand, with spring temperatures to 30C heat. Our accommodation was comfortable and well equipped in the Japan Foundation Kansai Centre, complete with a cafeteria and a shuttle bus service to the closest railway station.

Our 10-day course consisted of a mix of class work with our teacher, Kurihara Sensei, excursions to central Osaka, a primary school and a junior high school, and a cultural experience, which for us was making Japanese traditional sweets. (Yum!)

My favourite aspect of the course was the school visits.  It was a delight to visit a semi-rural primary school of 89 students and share a day with them. The day began with a full school welcome in the gym, then in groups, students shared aspects of Japanese culture and their local area with us and we shared some New Zealand games and a little about the country with them. We sat with them for lunch and saw them do the after-lunch cleaning - classrooms, corridors and bathroom sinks - all done in an orderly and relatively thorough way.  My overall impression was of happy students who were really pleased to spend the time with us, had good relationships with their teachers and took pride in their school and local area.

The junior high school was walking distance from the Kansai Centre. Students shared things about their lives and we shared things about New Zealand. After seeing some of the stereotypes of Japanese schools in movies, I noticed the combination of collaborative work and separate seating, board work and tablet work, whiteboards and chalkboards, but also the attentiveness of the students to their teachers. Both visits were very enjoyable and interesting.

I would recommend this immersion course to any teacher of Japanese seeking to refresh their language skills and learn more about current life in Japan.

Check out these two posts from the Tui Tuia | Learning Circle Facebook page for more information about the immersion program! Part 1, Part 2

Hawke’s Bay Japanese Senior Trivia Quiz 2025

written by Strahan Winchester, HoLA Languages at Napier Girls' High School.

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Napier Girls’ High School proudly hosted the 2nd Hawke’s Bay Senior Trivia Quiz on 18th October 2024. Thirteen teams of three to four members from four schools participated—double the number from last year. In total, fifty students, eight junior volunteers, three teachers, and Paula Kasper from Tui Tuia contributed to making the evening a great success. A special thanks to Paula, Cheryl, and Stephen; I couldn’t have hosted it without you.

The quiz featured six rounds of ten questions, covering the topics Sports & Festivals, Food & Drink, Daily Life, Popular Culture, Geography & History, and Kanji. The teachers and Paula took turns reading a variety of questions, including multiple choice, True or False, and short-answer formats. The quiz included questions in both English and Japanese. While the Kanji section may have surprised some, the Japanese used was designed to be accessible to all teams, whether they were Year 11, 12, or 13 students.

During the break after three rounds, students enjoyed sushi and juice while mingling with peers from other schools, making new friends, and connecting with others who share their passion for Japanese. A best-dressed competition also took place, with the team “Origami Youkai” winning thanks to their impressive origami skills, which were showcased as part of their costumes.

A huge thank you to Paula Kasper from Tui Tuia for judging the best-dressed competition, providing prizes, helping MC, and making the event truly special. A big shout-out as well to Cheryl Brownlee for taking time during her school trip to Japan to scope out and purchase fantastic prizes!

We look forward to the 第三回 event next year and hope it will be even bigger and better. Thank you again to everyone involved. また来年！